I&J 



THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 

 (Muscicapa grisola.) 



THE habits of the Spotted Flycatcher are quite 

 different from those of its feathered companions in 

 garden and forest, such as the Tits ; for while -the latter 

 are always moving, darting here, hunting there, the 

 Flycatcher sits quietly on the extreme end of a bough, 

 on some point, or on a post, and watches for flying 

 insects exclusively; flies, beetles; or near the bee-house 

 it lies in wait for drones, but it never snaps at a stinging 

 bee or wasp. It is quiet, only occasionally moving first 

 one wing and then the other, as if to ascertain that they 

 are in working order; then, as soon as it sees a flying 

 insect, it darts forward, sure of aim as the Swallow, seizes 

 its prey, and flies back in a fine curve to its post of 

 observation. 



The Flycatcher then, belongs to the useful birds,, 

 especially in gardens, where it destroys the harmful 

 insects which fly among the trees. If it should happen 

 to make away with the gall-insect, among others in the 

 woods, that will not outweigh its good deeds. In gar- 

 dens, at all events, it ought to be cherished and pro- 

 tected. Place a nest-box, such as it loves, with a wide 

 opening, and let it nest there. There is not much to be 

 said for its song; its call note is " Tschee, tschee." 



The Spotted Flycatcher is one of our latest British 

 spring migrants, its usual time for coming is about the 

 first week in May. Although it feeds almost exclusively 

 on insects, it has been known to eat the berries of the 

 mountain ash ; I have noticed indeed that these disappear 



